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Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 13 August 2020

::NATIONAL::

Government to bring in e-passport scheme from next year

After issuing 20,000 official and diplomatic e-passports on a trial basis with such chips, the government has now begun the process for issuance of e-passports for all citizens and is selecting an agency that will set up the IT Infrastructure and solution to implement the big project.
This will make passports difficult to forge and quicker immigration for international passengers. So far, passports issued to citizens are personalised and printed on booklets.
The National Informatics Centre, which is working in tandem with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) on Wednesday to select an agency to set up an IT Infrastructure and solution for e-personalisation of passports.
Now, all 36 passport offices in India will issue e-passports after the components of the e-passport personalisation system are inducted in the existing passport issuance system at all passport offices. The e-passports will be based on International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standard to ensure interoperability between countries.

Study finds poor access to medical abortion pills/drugs

Over-regulation of drugs to curb gender-biased sex selection such as through government programmes like ‘BetiBachao, BetiPadhao’ has hindered access to safe, legal and cost-effective abortion, according to a survey across six States which found an “overwhelming shortage” of abortion pills or medical abortion drugs.
A study conducted among 1,500 chemists in six States by the Foundation for Reproductive Health Services India (FRHSI) indicated a severe shortage of medical abortion (MA) drugs in five out of the six States surveyed, with abysmal stocking in Madhya Pradesh (6.5%), Punjab (1%), Tamil Nadu (2%), Haryana (2%) and Delhi (34%). The only State that seemed to be better was Assam (69.6%).
Abortion pills are different from emergency contraceptive pills. The latter are taken 72 hours after unprotected sex to prevent an unintended pregnancy. Abortion pills or MA drugs are abortafacients which terminate a pregnancy by expelling an embryo or foetus.
The lack of availability of MA drugs forces many women to seek a surgical abortion from a facility, reducing her choice.

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::ECONOMY::

PM launches platform for transparent taxation

Prime Minister NarendraModi will launch the platform for Transparent Taxation - Honoring the Honest through video conferencing today. This platform will further carry forward the journey of direct tax reforms. The Central Board of Direct Taxes, CBDT has carried out several major tax reforms in direct taxes in recent years.
Last year, the Corporate Tax rates were reduced from 30 per cent to 22 per cent and for new manufacturing units the rates were reduced to 15 per cent. Dividend distribution Tax was also abolished.
AIR correspondent reports, several initiatives have been taken by the CBDT for bringing in efficiency and transparency in the functioning of the IT Department. This includes bringing more transparency in official communication through the newly introduced Document Identification Number, wherein every communication of the Department would carry a computer generated unique document identification number.
The focus of the tax reforms has also been on reduction in tax rates and on simplification of direct tax laws. With a view to provide for resolution of pending tax disputes the IT Department also brought out the Direct Tax 'Vivad se Vishwas Act, 2020' under which declarations for settling disputes are being filed currently.
To effectively reduce taxpayer grievances and litigation, the monetary thresholds for filing of departmental appeals in various appellate Courts have been raised. Several measures have also been taken to promote digital transactions and electronic modes of payment.

Road engineering,public awareness to be boosted to reduce road accidents

Union Minister NitinGadkari has called for increased investment by international institutions and bodies in the Indian Highways and MSME sectors. He said, automobile and MSME are the two growth engines of Indian economy.
Addressing the Indo-Australian Chamber of Commerce and Womennovator on Trade Investment and collaborations in Road infrastructure and MSMEs yesterday, the Minister said, India and Australia are already co-operating in the road safety sector. He said, this cooperation has provided better designs for roads and awareness opportunities for the public.
Under Indian Road Safety Assessment Programme, 21 thousand km roads have been assessed and about 3000 km road length is under technological upgradation.

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::INTERNATIONAL::

Indian origin senator becomes U.S vice presidential candidate

In the United States, Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden has named Indian-origin senator Kamala Harris as his Vice-Presidential running mate. Joe Biden made history by selecting the first black woman to compete on a major party's presidential ticket.
Kamala Harris is currently the US Senator from California. Former US President Barack Obama has often described her as a trailblazer. If elected, Kamala Harris would be the first ever woman to be the Vice President of the United States and the first ever Indian-American and African Vice President of the country.
Daughter of an Indian mother and a Jamaican father, Harris has known many firsts. She has been a county district attorney; the district attorney for San Francisco - the first woman and first African-American and Indian-origin to be elected to the position.
She was also the first female African-American and Indian-origin to become California's attorney general. Harris became the first Indian-origin and second African-American woman to join the Senate, winning the California seat vacated by Senator Barbara Boxer.
Leading Indian-American groups across the US have lauded the selection of Kamala Harris as the Vice Presidential candidate, saying it was a moment of pride and celebration for the entire community in America.

Bangladesh to receive $3.1billion loan package from Japan

Japan has signed its largest ever loan package worth dollar 3.1 billion for Bangladesh. Announcing this in Dhaka on Wednesday, the embassy of Japan said that the loan under its Official Development Assistance (ODA) will be given for seven projects of Bangladesh under concessional terms.
The loan will cover the construction of Jamunarailway bridge in parallel to the existing Bangabandhu Bridge, expansion of the HazratShahjalal International Airport, Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Projects and Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar Highway improvement project among the seven projects.
The loan carries an interest rate of 0.65 percent with a repayment period of 30 years including initial 10 years as grace period.

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::SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY::

IISER researchers study on seed germination to improve crop yields

A team of researchers at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Bhopal, has conducted a study on seed germination that could have a major impact on agriculture in the long run by helping determine the optimum timing of seed germination and thus ensure high plant yields.
Although ABA, a ubiquitous plant hormone, was discovered almost 80 years ago and the mechanisms underlying germination inhibition by this protein have been the subject of intensive research, there is scant knowledge about the mechanisms controlled by ABA for arresting the post-germination growth in response to environmental cues. This is the gap that the IISER team has attempted to bridge with its experiments.
The results of the study, though in its elementary phase, are vital as they come at a time when frustrated farmers across Maharashtra have lodged thousands of complaints against seed companies, alleging them of having provided them with seeds that failed to germinate.
Over the past two months, more than one lakh farmers in Maharashtra have lodged complaints against seed companies, prompting the State Agriculture department to lodge over 75 FIRs against seed companies for giving soybean seeds to farmers which failed to germinate.
Explaining the critical role of ABA, Mr.Yadukrishnan said the protein acts as a ‘master regulator’ of the seed’s growth by controlling several aspects of plant development, including seed dormancy and germination, as well as controlling growth under adverse conditions such as drought or salinity.
Mr.Yadukrishnan said that their research proved that the inhibition of seedling growth by ABA is much stronger in darkness as compared to light conditions.

::SPORTS::

Asia’s FIFA WC qualifiers postponed to next year

The Indian football team will not see any action this year with the Asian qualifying matches for the 2022 FIFA World Cup on Wednesday getting postponed to 2021 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Asian Football Confederation postponed all men’s qualifiers scheduled in October and November for the 2022 World Cup and the 2023 Asian Cup. India’s last international match was the joint qualifying round match against Oman in Muscat in November last year, which they had lost 0-1.

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